I've had two different dealerships carelessly ruin a new car of mine. Family and colleagues shared stories of other dealerships ruining their new cars ex. tearing up the bottom of a sports car by a service tech joyriding in it, a car on its second oil change that had its oil drain bolt put on finger tight at best (engine developed a knock), another new car returned with mild collision damage and then aggressively denying it happening at their location. None of them owned up to the damages and even challenged the owners in court. I'm also well aware of the pressure most dealership service advisors are under to get customers to pay for services and parts that are absolutely not needed. Bad apples aren't confined to any particular profession or location. Thanks for the informative responses everyone.
Mechanic Billed Customer, Did Not Do Any Work
- Thread starter Tkonrr
- Start date
When I work on something for a customer, I always offer them the old parts back, minus fluids. But then i pull the dipstick if so equiped, or visually make sure that they see fluids are new, clean and full. Be it i show them the oil sight glass, removing the rad cap, etc. Some customers also sit and wait for me to do the repairs if just a quick job.
My uncle took in his pickup for a bunch of work last year. They charged him $1,807 and did nothing to his pickup except for changing the engine oil filter, and engine oil. He sued them in court, won $15,000 and the best thing was the dealership owner and 2 employees in court, answering to the judge for their fraudulent actions.
My uncle took in his pickup for a bunch of work last year. They charged him $1,807 and did nothing to his pickup except for changing the engine oil filter, and engine oil. He sued them in court, won $15,000 and the best thing was the dealership owner and 2 employees in court, answering to the judge for their fraudulent actions.
How many customers take you up on the offer ?
Where did I suggest they will not offer them ? I didn't. I said it's not customary, i.e. automatically done. I also don't believe that the majority of customers want the parts.
Maybe 20%. The rest of the stuff I put in the trash can, but shop policy is to keep all parts until the customer has been offered them, and says no thanks. Only then may I toss them out. Steel goes into the steel recycling, aluminum into its own recycling bin, and once a month they pick it up, and actually pay the owner for it by weight.
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Even if the customer doesn't want the parts back they should be asked when the repair order is written up, most places do NOT do this anymore.
Why? Because most shops want to hide their bad service.
Many customers would be happy being able to see the parts but not have to take them home, so let them look at the replaced items at the shop before they leave.
Tkonrr,
Absolutely insist that the current repair order has in writing that the parts removed were OEM and/or worn out. Moving forward, the written word may be the only thing that protects you. Otherwise, it will become a "he said/she said" situation that will not hold up if you take this farther.
Repeat - always get written/printed records. Even better if you can get the old parts back also.
Good luck!!
Absolutely insist that the current repair order has in writing that the parts removed were OEM and/or worn out. Moving forward, the written word may be the only thing that protects you. Otherwise, it will become a "he said/she said" situation that will not hold up if you take this farther.
Repeat - always get written/printed records. Even better if you can get the old parts back also.
Good luck!!
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- Oct 28, 2014
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- 1,187
I am not above being corrected; if you feel I twisted your intent, please accept my sincere apologies. When I was a younger man, it was customary for the shops my father did business with to return the used parts as I previously stated. Things have changed; I was in my forties before anyone ever heard of google.
Will definitely run with your suggestion. The fancy computer the dealership hooked up to the Jeep informed the tech that the crank sensor was never changed. The service advisor agreed to save the six worn to death spark plugs from today that were paid to be replaced last Summer by the independent shop. I'll be persistent if need be to have that documented in the dealership invoice notes. Thanks for your help here. Will post updates when they develop.
AZjeff
$50 Site Donor 2023
The indie did/didn't do the work last summer? Does that change the chance for a refund?
Wow of all the stuff to cheat someone on this is among the dumbest. Car goes in with a driveability complaint and comes out with the same symptoms.
Get it in writing, get the old parts, show the indy mech your evidence, do a cc charge-back or small claims court if he doesn't help you. There's a chance that they estimated and billed the job but didn't get time to actually perform it, had a communications error between writer and mechanic, etc.
I bet <1% of people that threaten small claims court actually follow through, and simply getting the summons should bring some sense to the guy.
Get it in writing, get the old parts, show the indy mech your evidence, do a cc charge-back or small claims court if he doesn't help you. There's a chance that they estimated and billed the job but didn't get time to actually perform it, had a communications error between writer and mechanic, etc.
I bet <1% of people that threaten small claims court actually follow through, and simply getting the summons should bring some sense to the guy.
I like having show and tell with a customer at pickup especially when its either an odd failure or something you can see visually. Yeah, im probably not going to show you a used oil filter unless there is something strange going on or a burned out bulb or similar but am more than willing to if someone asks.
It sounds like it was over a year ago. With credit card disputes, it has to be within about 60 days or so.
Pics of fiancé to determine how far you should pursue this. Can't believe it took 34 posts --- **** BITOG posters are disappointing me......
Law here is that a shop must hang onto the parts until the car is gone.
If it does not throw any cat codes like p0420 then the cats are ok.
Doesn’t hurt to ask. I was able to dispute 3k in airline charges over 6 months after the purchase
This is interesting.... Any techs confirm that equipment can do this ? Do crank sensors report or store some type of information that could tell the technician anything like that ?
Fiance gave the independent shop owner 6 NGK iridium spark plugs to install last August. I'll post pictures of the spark plugs tomorrow upon returning from the dealership. The iridium plugs were purchased from Napa and apparently were never installed in fiance's Jeep. The Jeep was running well again at the dealership this afternoon after new plugs were installed. Don't have it back yet since there wasn't enough time today to reinstall the valve covers after they inspected the valves.
No such thing.
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